


A Matter of Timing

by Somniare



Series: Phrase Challenge [9]
Category: Lewis (TV)
Genre: Gen, Misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-23
Updated: 2015-04-23
Packaged: 2018-03-25 09:43:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3805798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Somniare/pseuds/Somniare
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>“Really?”  It was a one-word accusation.</i>
  <br/>
  <i>Lewis’s shoulders slumped.  “What I should have said is, it’s not what you’re thinking.”</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Matter of Timing

**Author's Note:**

> For Sundarapadma

* * *

 

James was standing beside Lewis’s desk when Lewis returned to the office with yet another mug of tea.  He was studying the forms and other documents strewn across the desk’s surface.

“Didn’t I send you home a while ago?” Lewis asked lightly.

“You did.”  James’s voice was flat.

It had been a long week and James had borne the brunt of late hours and chasing down suspects.  When James had snapped at Julie over a small mistake, apologising immediately and looking quite ashamed, Lewis had packed him off home with orders to rest.

Lewis treaded lightly.  “What brings you back?”

“I forgot my charger.”  James indicated the white cable and adaptor in his hand.  He then put the forefinger of his other hand on one of the documents and drew it closer.  “When were you going to tell me?” he asked quietly.

“It’s not what it looks like...”

“Really?”  It was a one-word accusation.

Lewis’s shoulders slumped.  “What I should have said is, it’s not what you’re thinking.”

“OSPRE.”  James stared Lewis down.  “These are OSPRE documents.  I thought we had an understanding.”

“We do, James.  I’m doing this as a favour for Innocent.”

“Oh.”  The single syllable dripped with snark.

Lewis blinked slowly and sighed.  “Did you read anything beyond the page header?  Or did you see ‘OSPRE’ and decide I’d made the decision to retire and was putting you forward for promotion so Innocent could retain a full complement of DIs?”

He watched James hesitate and then glance down at the page under his finger.  Although it was late, and the lighting in the office wasn’t the best, Lewis saw the colour rise on James’s cheeks the instant he understood what the documents were.

“Sergeant,” James murmured.  He looked at Lewis.  “These are for the Sergeant’s exam.”

Lewis nodded.  “Julie’s ready for this and Innocent agrees.  I asked Julie if she was interested a couple of days ago, and she is.  Innocent’s asked if I can work out a schedule, and choose who’d be best to mentor her.  That’s what I was doing.”

“I…I’m sorry.  I…”  James’s head dropped as he exhaled heavily.

“You’re tired, man.  We both are.”  Lewis put the mug on top of the filing cabinet beside him and stepped closer to James.  “Come back to mine?”

“I should let you finish here.”  James moved towards the door, and found himself blocked by Lewis.

“I don’t think I’ll get any more done here tonight.  Come back to mine.  If you’re on me couch I’ll know you’re not pacing the floor in your flat, and that’ll help me relax.”

“What about your tea?”  James pointed at the abandoned mug.

Lewis huffed a soft laugh.  “Never tastes right when you haven’t made it.  So what do you say?”

James gave a grateful smile.  “I haven’t eaten yet; shall I pick up a takeaway on my way over?”

“Sounds grand.  You head off.  I’ll tidy up here and meet you at the flat shortly.”  Lewis stepped back to let James leave, which he did with another smile and a small wave.

Lewis sat behind his desk and gathered up the papers.  He tapped the bundle on the desk’s surface to even up the pages, and then slipped them inside a folder.  Lewis bent to one side and reached for the bottom desk drawer.  He paused to glance into the hallway.  It was empty.  James was gone.

Lewis pulled the drawer open.  Sitting in the bottom were the papers pertaining to the Inspector’s OSPRE.  They would go back to Innocent with Julie’s papers in the morning.  Unlike Julie’s, however, those with James’s name added to the front page would go back uncompleted, and Lewis would face another grilling from Innocent.

James had never fully articulated his reasons for not pursuing promotion, and Lewis had never asked, trusting James knew his own mind.  Lewis didn’t know how much longer he could deflect Innocent’s efforts to push James for promotion, but while it was in his power, he’d continue to do so.  He dropped the folder in the drawer and gently closed it.

With a soft sigh, Lewis rose, pulled on his coat, and switched off the light, thankful James hadn’t turned up twenty minutes earlier when all the documents had been on the desk.  He retrieved the mug of tea – he’d rinse it out in the break room on his way out – and left the office.  A quiet night of takeaway, wine, telly, and James – Lewis couldn’t think of a better way to start the weekend.

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the prompt: “It’s not what it looks like…”


End file.
